The missed phone calls would have been comical if they had not been so important to me. I started to realize that there must be a reason that it kept happening. I believe that God does nothing by accident and I started to wonder what He was trying to teach me in this situation--my own little Boot Camp from God.
I mean, really, how could it happen three times? How could my son be gone for a month and I had not been able to speak to him even once? There had to be a reason that God was allowing it.
The first verse that came to me is one that Paul wrote. Honestly, I don't like the verse. It's kinda one of those scary, please-don't-ask-this-of-me verses that I tend to try to avoid.
I mean, really, how could it happen three times? How could my son be gone for a month and I had not been able to speak to him even once? There had to be a reason that God was allowing it.
The first verse that came to me is one that Paul wrote. Honestly, I don't like the verse. It's kinda one of those scary, please-don't-ask-this-of-me verses that I tend to try to avoid.
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings..." Philippians 3:8
Um, well, actually, I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to suffering. I really try to avoid it if possible. But obviously, God was trying to tell me something.
He had already reminded me a few weeks ago, that He sent His Son to earth and had to watch him suffer, but now He reminded me of something else. He invited me to come and share something with Him. I was invited to remember His suffering many years ago.
There was a day when He was separated from His child who was needing comfort. As Jesus hung dying, on the cross--at his most critical point of need--God had to turn His face away from the sin that the Son carried for those hours. They were separated--and for both of them, I believe it was excruciating.
The Father must have longed to comfort His Son.
The Son certainly longed for the Father's comfort. Indeed, when considering the cross before Him, He was in so much agony that His sweat was like drops of blood.
But it was necessary for them to be separated for that time to bring about a greater purpose--the salvation of all mankind.
And so this week, my invitation was issued...to come and share Christ's suffering on a much smaller scale. I am very thankful that my pain is far less than God's was and that I can safely trust Him to take care of Ryan when I have no access to my son.
